


Meeting again

by Iridalmenie



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24256906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iridalmenie/pseuds/Iridalmenie
Summary: 2021, and the world is healing from a pandemic. So how is there a man who hasn't heard of Covid-19?
Comments: 15
Kudos: 56





	Meeting again

**Author's Note:**

> I read a post on a DW facebook group about how Wilf and Graham would totally get along. Reading that led to this little story. I felt that Wilf deserved some closure. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> I don't own the Doctor, I'm just playing in her universe for a bit. I'm sure she doesn't mind.
> 
> Story is unbetaed so any errors are my own. Also, I'm switching between two types of keyboards on a daily basis so some typo's might have slipped in.

The old man was sitting on a bench in the park. His watery blue eyes tracked the playing children, and there was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He crossed his arms and stretched out his legs in front of him. After the year they'd had, he would never again underestimate the sheer pleasure such a small thing could bring – sitting outside with other people about. Many people were still rather careful, not approaching other families too closely, but very slowly things were going back to normal.

A voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Do you mind if I sit here?”

He looked up to see a man with kind eyes, somewhat younger than he was, nodding at his bench.

“Oh, by all means,” he waved at the free spot, “go right ahead. Just... don't cough in my direction.”

The man gave him an odd look, which... well, it wasn't that strange of a joke to make in these times, was it?

“Thanks,” was all he said, though. “These legs aren't what they used to be, eh?”

The old man chuckled. “Tell me about it. It doesn't get any better, let me tell you.” Even ten or so years ago, he could at least still run, if not as quickly as in his younger years. These days he was reduced to a walking pace. He supposed he ought to be grateful that at least he had not been sent to an old people's home yet. 

For a while, the two men sat in companionable silence. 

“I'm Graham, by the way,” the other man eventually introduced himself. He stuck out his hand for a handshake.

“Wilfred, but my friends call me Wilf.” He regarded the offered hand with some suspicion, not returning the gesture.

“I... I'd rather not, if you don't mind. Wouldn't want to risk either of us getting sick. I'm fairly sure we're both in the risk group. I mean, I know I am, and I think you are too.”

Graham withdrew his hand, looking confused. 

“What risk group?” he asked.

Wilf sat up a bit straighter, turning to face the other man. “What risk... Corona ringing any bells? Covid-19?”

Graham shrugged a bit helplessly. “I'm sorry, I must have missed that. I've been... away.”

“Away? Away where? How could you possibly miss a worldwide pandemic and most of 2020 spent in lockdown? Even 'living under a rock' wouldn't explain that one, never mind 'away' when the airports are only just starting to recover.”

Graham opened his mouth, although Wilf never found out what he would have said, because the answer to his question came running up just then, even if he didn't know it quite yet. The oddest-dressed person he'd seen in a good long while was closing in on them, scrunching up her nose as she waved at his companion. 

“Graham!” she yelled in a pronounced Yorkshire accent. “What are you doin' sittin' around? We found the stegosaur eggs, but Yaz and Ryan need some help shifting them, and then we still need to find mummy dearest. You'd think we'd have found her first, but... Oh!” She stopped talking when she noticed Wilf looking at her with a quizzical expression on his face, like he was trying to place where he knew her from. The energy pouring from her stilled suddenly.

“Hello, Wilf,” she said quietly. 

“Do... I know you?” he said, with the slightest hesitation. He felt that he did, in fact, but was afraid to put his hope into words.

Graham looked from Wilf to the blonde woman and back. “Doctor, do you know him?”

And just like that, his suspicion was confirmed. His eyes went wide. “Doctor?” he asked, with a tremor in his voice that he hated. Tears sprang unbidden to his eyes.

The Doctor knelt in front of him, and took both his hands in hers. “Hello, old friend,” she said. He tried to let go, protesting about the virus.

“Nonsense,” she answered. “Silly little covid virus? Wouldn't know what to do with Time Lord biology. Well, Time Lady biology now. Oh, that was insensitive of me again, wasn't it? I just meant to say, you won't catch it from me or pass it to me. I am sorry I couldn't help, though. It was a fixed point in history. A fixed period, really, if you look at it. So many people learn so much during these times, it had to happen one way or another.”

A chuckle from Wilf stopped her from continuing. “You still love the sound of your own voice, then.”

Graham smothered a laugh in his hand. “Oh, you have no idea, mate.” 

The Doctor smiled ruefully. “Guilty as charged, I'm afraid. Never did know when to shut my gob.”

Squeezing her hands, Wilf turned serious. “Doctor, your other self... he told me he'd basically die. He... you... saved me. I'm sorry for my part in all that.”

“Oh, Wilf. Don't you think any of that was your fault. I was a bit of a drama king with that face.The Oncoming Sulk... I had some vanity issues. Don't think too much on what I said back then; I'm still me. With a bit of an upgrade,” she said with a wink.

Neither of them were paying attention to Graham, who was busily filing away the conversation to be discussed with his two young friends later. 

The Doctor continued. “Sure, some different aspects may take priority, but at the heart of it, my core remains the same. And there's one thing you absolutely must remember. I told you then and I will tell you again... It was my honour. I stand by my decision, and I always will.”

The tears were freely streaming over Wilf's cheeks now, unheeded by either of them, but his voice had lost its earlier tremble.

“So... is this the face you changed into back then?”

The Doctor laughed. “Oh no. This is my third face since you knew me. Never expected to make it this far, but there you have it.”

For a moment, they just looked at each other, knowing they might not see each other again. “Oh, come here!” Wilf said, and he pulled her in for a hug. For a moment she flailed, but then she realised what he was doing and brought her arms up around him. “Goodbye, Doctor,” he whispered in her ear. When they broke apart, she smiled at him. “Goodbye.”

“Right then,” came Graham's voice, interrupting the moment. “Stegosaur eggs?”

Just like that, the earlier energy was radiating from the Doctor again, and she jumped up.

“Right! Lets go help Yaz and Ryan. Wilf, you take care of yourself, stay safe. Give my best to Donna, just... well, you know.”

“Yeah, I'll be careful,” Wilf said, covering both of her statement. “Go!”

And off the two of them went, running towards new adventures. For all that Graham had claimed his legs weren't what they used to be, he could keep up with her well enough.

Wilf watched them go, and grinned through the tears. A weight had lifted off his shoulders with this meeting, a feeling of guilt he'd carried with him since that fateful day ten years ago. The Doctor was fine, having adventures, saving the earth one stegosaur at a time. 

As he went home, he had a new spring in his step. He didn't know if he'd ever meet the Doctor again, possibly for a longer conversation than today, but he sure was going to keep his eyes peeled. You never knew when you might run into them!


End file.
